Only 11 of the 176 teachers of Maltese and 25 per cent of the Maths ones have 25 lessons a week, the Education Ministry said on Tuesday.

It pointed out that the maximum class load was laid down in the sectoral agreement and that in this context only 3.5 per cent of all the middle and secondary schools had this level of workload, which showed that it was the exception rather than the rule.

As a protest against what it says is overloading of teachers, the Malta Union of Teachers announced on Monday that no Maths and Maltese exams will be held in secondary schools this scholastic year.

Read: No Maths, Maltese exams in secondary schools - MUT

It said it was standing by its directives after the government failed to heed its complaints about a shortage of teachers, particularly in those two subjects.

However, the ministry said it had already made a start on 17 proposals made by the union, apart from trying to increase the number of teachers through year-round recruitment.

One of the measures in the sectoral agreement, which has already been put into force, was the reduction of one lesson a week for each of the teachers.

The ministry appealed to the MUT to reconsider its industrial action, and to suspend its directives.

Late on Monday, the Maltese Association for Parents of State School Students issued an appeal to the ministry and the union for a solution to be found in the interests of the children.